U.S. Water News Online
STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Ashley Mulroy, a high school student from Linsly High School in Wheeling, West Virginia, stakes her claim as one of the top young water scientists in the world when she competes against national finalists from all over globe for the prestigious 2000 Stockholm Junior Water Prize. The competition culminates August 15 in the Swedish capital during a gala ceremony in which Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden presents the prize.
This spring, Ashley won first prize in the USA's national Stockholm Junior Water Prize and thus qualified for the international finale in Stockholm. The winning entry that she brings to Stockholm, "Correlating Residual Antibiotic Contamination in Public Water to the Drug Resistance of Escherichia coli," examines how inefficient wastewater treatment processes can lead to antibiotic contamination in American waterways and, in some cases, progressive resistance among bacteria to those same antibiotics (Penicillin, Tetracycline and Vancomycin, for example) that once controlled them.
In particular, she researched their presence in a 44-kilometer stretch of the Ohio River and two tributary systems. The Water Environment Federation organizes the Stockholm Junior Water Prize in the USA with support from various industries.
Water is life and future life belongs to the coming generations, says the Water Environment Federation. Since 1995, the international Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition has raised awareness and develops scientific, research, and analytical skills in youth under 20. As future leaders in science, engineering, politics, medicine, business and many other professions, these young people will be among those working to secure clean, sufficient water resources for the billions of people currently lacking them and to the estimated 2 - 3 billion to be born by 2025.
From August 13 to 19 in Stockholm, all contestants will experience a well-rounded learning environment that provides a thorough introduction to the water field. In addition to competing with their projects, they'll meet top water experts, participate in seminars, visit research and technical facilities, and attend cultural and social events.
This year, participating countries in competition are: Argentina, Australia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States. An international nominating committee reviews the projects and selects the winner based on creative ability, scientific procedure, subject knowledge, and presentation.
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